Precious
by Nagi
Summary: [New Chapter Uploaded] Akito's got what he wants... but what's Shigure up to? Was this planned all along? (..Aha. I suck at summaries.. XD)
1. Default Chapter

*My (rather poor, if you ask me....) attempt at a (scary. o_o;) Yuki and Akito fic. Am I the only one that thinks they could be a pair? This is a one-shot fic... and it's long. Perhaps I'll write more chapters, it depends on what you want. And yes, I took a break from Aite in order to write this... because, I fear, if I had not gotten my AkitoxYuki thoughts out of the way then they would have worked into the forementioned fic and wrecked it. I didn't want that, I didn't want it at all... that would have seriously disappointed me (and possibly a number of yous who read that fic...) and I would not be able to forgive myself. By the way, see the detail in this fic? That's how I'm going to "re-do" Aite... if I decide I want to. ^-^;;; Unless you guys like it the way it is.. :D ...Anyway, on with the fic... I don't own Furuba.. o.o; Oh, and bad spelling and grammar..? They're possible. o.o; Bewaaaaare...*  
  
/ / = thoughts  
  
-: :- = flashbacks  
  
Precious  
  
Akito gave an exasperated sigh, trying to keep himself from hitting the silver-haired boy seated before him. But Yuki... he couldn't bring himself to hit him any more. His gaze fell to the floor as he averted his attention from the younger boy - trying to ignore the subtle insults the mouse was unmindedly throwing at him from all directions. Yuki just didn't understand, he told himself over and over again, the whole thing getting rather redundant as those thoughts ran circles in his head. He didn't understand how much Akito loved his attention or what his 'hatred' towards him really meant.  
  
"I don't understand why you made him take her memories away! Why couldn't you let her stay?! Why must you ruin my happiness?" Yuki was spilling out his heart while trying to address the current situation. The fact that Akito had ordered Hatori to erase all of Honda, Tohru's memories of the Sohma family left Yuki no more than drained of the one thing in his life that made it worth living. "...I loved her," he choked, slamming a fist onto the hard floor beneath him, "...Why did you take her away?"  
  
Tohru. It was always about Tohru when it came to Yuki and Akito couldn't stand that. It made him want to vomit. No matter how much that girl thought she knew about the curse and everything involved in it - if she fully understood it then she would have left the Sohmas without any form of interferance. Dark eyes narrowed, brows furrowing in disappointment as he watched the boy. "I did it for you," he stated calmly as he folded his legs under himself. "You both knew what would happen if I found out, yet you both insisted on doing as you wished and this is what came of it." Frowning, he watched as Yuki unconciously rubbed at the various bruises on his arms.  
  
-:  
  
"Honda-san!" Yuki screamed, reaching out for her as she did the same for him, slender digits stretched fully as he attempted to at least brush the tips of her fingers with his own. Both brows furrowed, he kicked and screamed in agony as Shigure regretfully held him back. Crystal clear tears had freely streamed down the sides of his face before evaporating into the surrounding air, and they had been all but stopped as Shigure was left tightening his grip a great deal more on Yuki's arms.  
  
"Yuki-kun!" wailing, Tohru squirmed in Hatori's grasp as he tugged her off in the opposite direction. "..Let me go... let me go!" she demanded, trying her best to free herself of the man's hold. Gasping as the arm around her waist tightened significantly, she hung her head and let her arm fall to hang limply. She knew this would happen if they found out, she had tried to keep it a secret... but somehow the word slipped out. Somehow Akito got notice of it. "Gomen ne, Yuki-kun..." she whispered, finally giving her struggle up as she saw it was futile.  
  
Yuki went wide-eyed as she said those last few words and gave her stuggling up, violet hues welling up with tears once again as he slowly shook his head in disbelief. She was giving up so easily? /...But... but... Honda- san.../ Shigure let Yuki fall to the floor in a sobbing heap as Hatori exited with Tohru. Yuki knew better than to run after them - he knew he'd be struck down as soon as he made his move.  
  
:-  
  
Akito had wanted to pull Yuki into his arms just then... he wanted to cradle him and kiss his tears away. Ah, but then he would have gone against what he thought was right. What he knew was right. What he *said* was right. Yuki and Tohru had commited a crime - they had gone against his word and Akito had not taken it lightly. "...You brought this upon yourself."  
  
"No!" Yuki retorted, slamming another fist onto the wood as he glared at the older boy, tears welling up in those violet eyes of his again. "...You only ruin our lives and make our lives hell because you think you can't have your own heaven!" he accused as he bent over to rest his forehead on the floor, wrapping his arms around his neck in attempt to comfort himself.  
  
"You know not why I do the things I do, don't think you understand. You can't ever understand."  
  
He raised himself, violet orbs delivering a rather harsh glare in Akito's direction. "Don't tell me I can never understand! You're stubborn, selfish, and you don't give a damn about anyone but yourself! You took away the only person I ever loved! You *deserve* to die, you ro-" and Yuki suddenly found himself cut off as Akito delivered a hard slap to his cheek. He raised his own hand to the offended flesh and carressed the reddened skin. He'd stepped out of line. He'd dared to stand up to someone who had complete control over him.  
  
"Don't you ever speak to me like that." What Yuki said had pierced his heart a number of times, sharp pains causing those dark eyes of his to go wide as he doubled over. /Is that... what he really thinks of me...?/ he asked himself, tears welling up in those deep, dark pools of emotionless colour. A malicious grin soon faded into a frown as he spent more innumerable seconds pondering those thoughts and what the boy had said. "..Yuki.."  
  
"..W-why..?" Yuki asked, choking a waterfall of tears back as he tried to keep himself intact. "Why are you like this...?" Watching as the older boy doubled over, he took this chance to back-kick away from him. He was confused by Akito's sudden action... The other had almost never portrayed such feelings as these, he had never acted as if his heart had been broken into tiny, microscopic pieces and scattered themselves on the floor. Yuki grew even more worried of Akito's intentions because of this. He was just mortified of him. He had always been and he doubted that the mortification would go away at any point in time.. especially now when the last thing he needed was to be scared out of his witts.  
  
"Yuki..."  
  
"Why can't you let me be happy? What can't you have that's making you like this...?!"  
  
"You."  
  
Tear-filled eyes went wide, all color seeming to vanish from those violet hues as Yuki raised his gaze from the floor to meet the older boys'. "W....what...?" Tiers remained half-parted after he spoke, that pale face of his taking on an expression of confusion and disbelief. The front of his shirt had started to become soaked with the tears that ran down those ivory cheeks of his to collect on his chin before dropping in a single mass to collide with the soft fabric that eagerly drank it up and yearned for more and Yuki hadn't failed in filling that dark fabric with enough liquid to suck out and quench his thirst if need be.  
  
"Yuki," Akito said as he slid a little closer to the mouse and raised himself, cupping the boys face in his hands. "I want you to be happy with me, Yuki..." Dark eyes had sparkled with a little hope as he spoke, hope speckled with truth. In that little corner of that stone of a heart he possessed he truely did care for the boy, a lot more than he should have... to be exact. He hadn't been sure why - perhaps it was the resemblance they shared... perhaps it was just a mystery need not be solved. It swallowed Akito whole, it intrigued him and puzzled him to no end. He would have Yuki... and he would go about whichever means he needed to in order to get what he desired.  
  
"Happy...? With you?" a graceful hand reached upwards to rest on Akito's chest, not a moment of thought was given before he pushed the frail boy back into the wall. Staggering to his feet, Yuki stumbled backwards before he caught his balance, arms swinging awkwardly at his sides as he glared at the other. The look of shock on Akito's face did no more than comfort him a little bit as he narrowed his eyes, those violet hues sparkling with hatred. "I could never be happy with someone who denied me the love of my life!" Spinning on his heels and heading in the opposite direction, Yuki tried to hurry out of the room.  
  
A swift and unseen wave of Akito's arm was given and a name was called out and split seconds after that, Hatori had made an appearance in the doorway. "Do not let him go," the frail boy muttered as he pulled his kimono back over his shoulder and folded his legs under himself, small hands resting rather comfortably in his lap. "Erase everything he knows of the girl." He wasn't going to physically take his anger out on Yuki - his precious Yuki. No, he wouldn't hurt him as much as he wanted to... He didn't want to watch crimson coloured liquid stain the boys clothes. He knew other means to go about in order to recieve that which he wanted.  
  
"Demo..." Hatori objected, stepping forward to further his chances of getting across. "I do--" he was cut off by the boy who had silently ordered him to grab the mouse. Hatori did not hesitate, he knew what Akito was capable of doing if he didn't get his way.  
  
"Dare you question me? I thought you knew better." Akito ruled all within the Sohma family, no one dared to try and go against his will. His word. They knew the consequences, the knew how he got. The elegant and graceful creature was liable to snap at any moment and turn into a fire breathing hell-raiser when things didn't go according to plan and he never hesitated to do what he felt, to let that anger spill over the compound like a raging river with no destined course, with no point of end and with no particular objective other than to destroy and ravage the hearts of the people nearest him at any given moment.  
  
"I-iie..."  
  
"No, no!! Don't do it, don't take my memories away!" Yuki pleaded, eagerly taking hold of one of Hatori's arms, looking up at him with tear steeped, violet hues. Trembling, the boy began to tighten his grip as the older man sighed, and those violet hues of his widened in horror as Hatori's hand was placed over them. "..Please.. don't..." His heart was breaking, a subtle pain within growing worse and worse with each passing second. He was going to loose those which were precious to him - he was going to loose his memories of the cheerful girl to whom he freely offered his heart.  
  
"I'm sorry," the dragon whispered, chocolate hues flodding with tears of their own as his own memories returned to haunt him for a few split seconds before he decided, regretfully, to go against his heart and carry out what he was to do. Closing his eyes, he whispered another apology before he summoned his powers forth and erased all the younger boy knew of the young Tohru. It was heartwrenching, Hatori couldn't believe he had done such a horrible thing. It was bad enough that he had to take care of the girl but this - erasing what Yuki knew of her... it broke his heart.  
  
Akito raised an arm to shield those emotionless hues as a flash of white light swallowed the room, and he paid no particular attention to the young Yuki as he lost grip of Hatori's arm and flew back against the hard wood of the floor, landing with an unpleasant cracking sound. Akito, however - as well as Hatori - knew that the boy hadn't suffered a single serious injury and, at the most, would recieve no more than a few bruises on his back.  
  
Sighing, Hatori hung his head and left the room. Akito, knowing all too well how this had affected the man, let him leave... he had what he wanted, he was content. He didn't care what Hatori did - what anyone did now. He had his Yuki. Gathering the boy, he cradled him in his arms and awaited any sign of conciousness. "Nene, my precious Yuki... You wouldn't have taken that horrible fall if you would have lowered yourself to your knees..." he hissed, words dripping with a mix of emotions as slender digits brushed silvery strands from the boys pale visage.  
  
. . . . .  
  
Erasing someone's memory took a lot of effort and could have... plenty of side-effects... Selective memory loss was like trying to take select pieces out from the inside of a fully constructed building - it was hard... and damn near impossible not to damage anything around those memories. Hatori knew this, he knew everything there was to know about erasing any part of anyone's memories... and it damaged him even more each time he had to perform that dreaded task. It ate away at his heart. At his soul.  
  
Sinking into a chair, a hand was placed on his forehead and he gently massaged the skin, hoping that somehow it would ease the throbbing in his head. It did - partially but it left him feeling no better than he had when the throbbing first began. He ouldn't forgive himself for what he had done - for the pain he had caused to, not only Yuki and Tohru themselves, but also everyone around them. Shigure and Kyo had no idea what had be done to Yuki - no one knew it was going to happen, but those two, he thought, would be hit the hardest with the news. He didn't know how to go about telling them but he was sure he had to, no matter how long it took for him to get the words out.  
  
. . . . .  
  
Dull violet hues fluttered open only to go wide at what he saw - Akito... looking down upon him with the look of he who own something dear, someone precious. Hatori had erased his memories of the girl but he hadn't erased Yuki's fear of Akito... and that, of all things, was most evident now as he watched the older man, staring into those dark voids of eyes that belonged to him, as he searched through his own heart in hopes of finding calmness and contentness as the other traced his jawline with a slender outstretched digit.  
  
"Daijoubu, my Yuki..." he started, only to pause as he tightened his grip on the younger boy, "...I wont hurt you," whispering, he began to humm an unnamed song as he started to rock back and forth, closing his eyes as those feelings of content grew stronger and, though he hadn't known it, his song had eased Yuki of his tensions. "I promise, from now on... I wont hurt you... unless you give me reason to, my precious Yuki..."  
  
The younger boy shivered, deciding that it would be best if he just gave in to Akito this time... if he just pushed back all the hatred and horror he held for his older relative. He snaked his arms around one of Akito's that had been wrapped firmly around him and he gave a slight nod, half-lidded violet hues slowly beginning to grow brighter as he cleared his head and tried to grow accustomed to the momentary peace he had found in this man's arms.  
  
He wanted to believe the words of Akito... he wanted to forget what had happened in the past, he wanted to rid himself of the hurt and pain that the boy had caused him. It would take time, but he knew that once Akito's mind was set... then there was no way he'd give up and if Akito wanted him... then there was nothing to do but go along because Yuki didn't want to cross that thin line which decided the mood of the man who controlled every single aspect of his life. He knew that this was best.  
  
"That's my precious Yuki," Akito commented as he opened his eyes to whitness the boy slipping off into sleep and he realized, with a sick sense of reality, that he had accomplished his goal... that he had gotten what he had wanted for so long and that nothing - no one... would ever get in his way. He had his precious Yuki, he had all that he wanted besides his health and, for once, all the hatred and malice he held for all the Sohma's had managed to slip out of his mind and he grew happier every second as he watched the boy in his arms drift further and further into sleep. Somehow, he felt, the days would become a little brighter.  
  
  
  
*The End. :D How did you all like it? Please tell meh. ^_^!! I worked really hard on this fic... but, like I said, I had to get it out of my system. x.x; But I will add more chapters if you all think I should.. ^_^; Thank you for reading this! :D* 


	2. Surreal

*Okay... A lot of you wanted me to continue with this fanfic... so I'm going to. ^-^;; So I'm going have to juggle two fics now. It's okay, though... this fic shouldn't have as many chapters as Aite does. x.x; ... Well, if it does then it will be because of all you who review. n.n; There may be some OOCness in this chapter... but I honestly couldn't help it... x.x; And sorry if it drags on. o.o; Anyway, I still don't own Furuba. ^- ^;;*  
  
Precious - Chapter 2 - Surreal  
  
"NANI?!" Shigure exclaimed, throwing himself from his seat as he awaited an explination from Hatori. Ebony coloured pools stared at the man in disbelief as he tried to register what he had heard, as he tried to picture what it was that happened. "What do you mean, he's 'not coming back'?!" his voice was cracking, horrible sounds accompaning those that were soothing and calm as he tried not to flip out. The words Hatori had said surprised and baffled him to no end, the thought of Yuki being manipulated and tortured once more by the hands of the man he feared the most sent nothing more than a horrible chill up his spine.  
  
"He's not coming back. He's wanted there and there's nothing you, Kyo or anyone can do about it. I can't even do anything. Do you understand?" Hatori was being firm, he wasn't going to let a situation like this affect him in the worst of ways - he didn't need any confrontations with one of his best friends, nor did he need one with Akito - he didn't need to meet the cruel hands of his 'god,' the one who ruled everything within the Sohma compound.  
  
The dog sighed as he watched the red-head enter, both crimson hues wide, "Understand what?" He asked with a rather perky tone in his voice as he shuffled over to Shigure. Both brows had been raised and a hand had been placed rathe halfhazardly on his hip as he threw a curious glance in Hatori's direction.  
  
"...Yuki's not coming back, I'm here to tell you two to get his things together so I can take them over."  
  
"What?! Why isn't he coming back?!" The cat took a step forward and threw a fist around in the air as he demanded answers , brows furrowing in anger as he did this. "That kuso-nezumi! Is he too good for us?!" Fuming, Kyo shook his head in disbelief as he started pacing and gathering random things Yuki owned and had just laid about here-and-there. "Well fine, if he wants to be like that then let him! Cursed fool!" he muttered through pursed lips shaking his head in various directions as he continued to shout random insults that pertained - if not to Yuki's stupidity - for his own for allowing the boy to even think about visiting Akito... with that girl...  
  
Shigure rolled his eyes as he watched the boy gather the things and, though silently for a change, he turned on his heel and headed for the boys room, feet patting rather gently on the wood surface and idle hands stantioned in the sleeves of his kimono. His head hung and his gaze downcast, he made his way up the stairs. "There's nothing we can do, I would keep silent if I were you. I knew what he was going to do with Tohru-kun, but I hadn't expected him to do this to Yuki." He paused and turned, cocking his head back as he tried to catch a glimpse of the all-too-calm dragon. Upon doing so, dark hues immediately narrowed and he sent a viscious and heart- wrenching glare in his direction. "How will he get him to forget her?"  
  
Hatori falted, backing up against the wall nearest him as he tried to avoid the glare. He, however, didn't manage to do so and was left feeling as if Shigure already knew, as if he only wanted to hear it from the dragons own lips. "Selective memory loss," the words seemed to flow as if they were silky flower petals flowing down the streem, perched atop the watery mass before colliding with armies of sharp and unforgiving rocks to become torn and ravaged - left in ruins at some secluded and forgotten beach.  
  
"Of all things I thought you wouldn't do, Hatori," Shigure barked, refusing to call him by 'Ha-san' - the name that usually spurred bouts of friendly affection and liking. The dragon didn't deserve it, he was thoroughly pissed. "...I never thought you would lower youself to that level." Hissing in a rather unnerving tone as the words spilled out of his mouth, he spun back around and headed up the stairs, leaving Hatori with no more than a crushed heart.  
  
"I-I had... no choice..." Hatori muttered as a hand raised to place itself over the left side of his face, the pads of slender fingers working gently over the skin to trace his features. /It would have been worse if they would have remembered the way they were ripped apart. She made him smile, she made him laugh and enjoy everything... What would he be like if he remembered that? He's sink into his own distressed world and block everything out. I don't want him to go through what I went through, I don't want him to suffer through what I am.... But why are you doing this, Shigure?/  
  
"Ah," Kyo started as he shoved a hand into his pocket and pulled out a cat and mouse plush keychain. Dangling it in the air, he stared oddly at it. "...I was going to give this to him... because I saw it and it reminded me of us... and I thought only an idiot like him would like it... so..." He suddenly ceased the dangling and lay it to rest in the palm of an open hand.  
  
"You can come with me and give it to him yourself, if that's what you're hinting at," Hatori stated as Shigure made his way back in to the room with armfulls of Yuki's things. The dragon had seemed to have pushed everything back with a small gesture - a simple wave a hand and all the words exchanged between he and Shigure had melted away. Noting the pout on the dogs face, he gave a slight nod and took a few of the things from his arms, "You can come too. You know what's expected of you both. Don't protest or do anything that would result in an even worse situation. Well," he then paused as he turned and headed out of the building, "Let's go, you know how impatient he is."  
  
"Hai," the other two called out in unison as they followed the dragon, Kyo occasionally glancing at the keychain he held. Shigure, having noticed this, simply sighed and tilted his head to the side. "You're going to miss him too, eh? As much as you hate him... I think you're going to be hit the worst."  
  
"Miss him?!" Kyo retorted, fingers curling around the keychain as he shot an offensive glare in the dogs direction, "Hah! I'm glad he's gone!"  
  
"Sure you are, I'm sure someone out there believes you..." Shigure stated in a sing-song voice as he waved a finger in the air. "It's okay, though..." he started as he hung his head and his hand found it's way back into a sleeve, "I'm going to miss him, too. But that doesn't mean we can't visit him!"  
  
"You... knew about... what he was going to do to her?" Kyo asked, crimson hues sparkling as he waited anxiously for an answer, his past harsh and offensive demeanor fading into a gentle and worried one as the dog simply nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
Shigure took a deep breath and slowed his pace, "I didn't want you to start throwing a fit and taking it out on Yuki. I know how much you adored Tohru- kun and I knew that you'd blame it entirely on Yuki if you found out about it... Now just keep quiet, I don't want to talk about this anymore."  
  
. . . .  
  
"Ah, they should be here soon, my Yuki..." Akito mused as he ran his fingers through Yuki's hair, his head tilted casually to the side as he did so. "You'll be staying in my room, is that okay?" he asked, tugging slightly at the silver coloured filaments entangled with his fingers.  
  
"H-hai..." Yuki choked as he winced at the slight pain he received at the tugging and then sat up, violet hues casting their gaze to the ground as he did a slight turn and situated himself between the others legs. Leaning back into Akito, he cocked his head back and raised a brow, "Will I be able to set all my things out?"  
  
"Ah..." he paused as he looked down at the mouse, both brows furrowing as he pondered the idea, "...Su--..." He fell silent as the trio entered the room, both Kyo and Shigure raising brows as they noted what was before them. "You're back."  
  
Hatori nodded as he nudged the other two further into the room, "They decided to come along." Standing patiently off to the side, both arms appeared as if they had been glued to his sides as he attempted to dodge more harsh glares directed at him from the none-too-pleased Shigure. /...I had to.../ Facing the wrath of Akito was far worse punishment than harsh glares from one of his best friends - but worse only in the physical sense, Shigure's harsh silence and tear-inducing glares ripped at his heart and slowly, painfully tore it piece-by-piece. ...But he noted something was off key, something wasn't quite as it should be...  
  
Akito nodded at this, "Help them put your things away," he whispered as he ordered Yuki to his feet. Reveling in the anxiousness of the boy to do as told, a grin tugged at his lips as he wached the mouse. "It will be nice having him around... I wont be as lonely." He spoke of this only after Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure had left the rather empty room - leaving he and Hatori alone.  
  
"You do understand that it will take a while for him to adjust, don't you?"  
  
"Ofcourse. But I'm willing to deal with it, he's been good so far. I expect nothing than the best from him."  
  
"He wont ever love you."  
  
Dark eyes narrowed and Akito shot Hatori nasty glare as he pondered what the man said, "Don't speak of such things. You don't know for certain. If I were you then I'd keep my mouth shut." The boy had been ruffled by the dragons words and he curled up into a little ball after laying himself down. Hatori was probably right, and Akito knew this... but he was willing to try and earn the boys love by offering his own to the mouse.  
  
. . . .  
  
"Here," Kyo snorted at he dangled the keychain in Yuki's face, "...take it before I change my mind. I-I was going to give it to you for your birthday or something but I figured I'd give it to you now." He looked rather embarrassed, his face red and those crimson eyes of his wide as he urged the silver-haired mouse to take it.  
  
Yuki was startled by the cat's offering and he hesitated as he took it from Kyo's hand, violet hues narrowing somewhat as he looked it over. Slnder digits then worked around the metal ring that held the two plush animals and he gently pried the mouse from it's home before he offered it to the cat. "Here," he started as he took one of Kyo's hands and placed the plush in an open palm, "For you... so whenever you get mad you can yell at it and it will be as if you're yelling at me... Because I know how much you like to blame me for things I've had no part in."  
  
Both Kyo and Yuki stood facing eachother for a few seconds before the cat huffed and turned on his heel, flashing back to what Shigure said if but minutes before. "I don't blame you for everything, kuso-nezumi!"  
  
"You do so, baka-neko."  
  
"I dare you to say that to my face!" Kyo retorted as he swung around and shook a fist in Yuki's direction. Veins throbbing in his forehead as he gritted his teeth. How dare that petty little mouse challenge him in such a way, how dare he... even think about doing such a thing!  
  
"BAKA-NEKO! BAKA-NEKO! BAKA-NEKO!"  
  
Shigure blinked, a sweatdrop forming above his brow as he watched the seemingly peaceful conversation go downhill. Sometimes he thought they bickered like lovers, constantly fighting over little and pointless things. They were like winter and summer - they collided with eachother, one couldn't stand the other... Yet, like the starting of spring depends on the end of winter... and the way spring grew into summer, the two couldn't live without eachother. He sighed as he left the room, slender digits wrapping around the soft fabric of Kyo's shirt before he proceeded to drag him away from Yuki... but met face-to-face with a rather puzzled Akito.  
  
Kyo lost his balance and fell into a distorted heap on the floor, muttering some random insult directed at Shigure before he pushed himself up to his knees and hopped to his feet before he brushed himself off. Hanging his head, he shoved both hands in his pockets before he shuffled out of the room, sipping by both the dog and Akito as he did so. Shigure, as if on que, simply whispered an apology and exited behing the red-headed cat.  
  
"Yuki," Akito started as he took those few steps needed in order to reach the younger boy. "Dinner will be done soon, you can finish putting your things away later."  
  
Yuki nodded, mouth falling agape as he set his cat plush on a nearby nightstand. "I'm sorry," he admitted, hanging his head and casting his gaze to the floor as he noted the puzzled expression on the others face. Small hands were then grasped by icy ones and those violet hues shot wide open and he raised his head to meet the gaze of Akito with his own. Akito was cold... too cold and his touch made Yuki shiver and feel like wrapping a blanket around himself. He didn't want to go through this again, he didn't want to feel the pain that had been forced upon him at so young an age by the same man standing before him at this very moment.  
  
"Yuki."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Yuki"  
  
"I didn't mean to..."  
  
"Be quiet!" Akito snapped, those icy hands of his tightening around those of the younger boys and he squeezed those little hands as much as he could as he vented his sudden spur of anger, dark hues norrowing as he furrowed his brows.  
  
"I-itai..." Yuki winced as he slowly fell to his knees, resting his head on Akito's legs as he silently begged for him to stop. It felt as if his bones were being crushed, the pain was almost surreal and he could feel the tears welling up in those eyes of his as he shut them as tight as he could - so tight that his cheeks began to hurt. He hated this, the way those icy cold yet soothing hands turned on him the way a Black Widow turns on her new mate - unforgiving and bathing in the satisfaction of winning yet another 'battle' and getting what was desired.  
  
Akito slowly released his grip, dark oculars going wide in shock as the mouse dropped his arms and allowed his hands to hit the floor and lay stationary. He sighed and placed a hand on Yuki's head, those fingers of his playing with the silvery strands they encountered. "It's your fault, Yuki..." he stated, his voice barely reaching more than a whispered volume as he spoke.  
  
Yuki simply wrapped his arms around the legs of Akito as he listened, praying that the pain would go away... there was no doubt in his mind that he'd have a few bruises. Why he'd chosen to 'embrace' the legs of the other... he had no idea, it was just something he did because he didn't know what else to do but when he felt Akito bend and wrap his own arms loosely around as much of his as possible, he only tightened his grip and tilted his head back to - once again - meet the dark eyes of the boy.  
  
"It's okay," Akito whispered again as he rested his forehead against that of the younger boy. "Next time... I'll try not to hurt you."  
  
Hatori smiled at that, having overheard it as he stood in the doorway, and so - not wanting to disturb the two, turned on his heel and headed in the opposite direction. Dark eyes met those of Shigure who had lingered after Kyo had marched out and headed for home. Hatori scoffed and furrowed his brows, "That hurt, the way you acted earlier today. I thought you'd save that sort of thing for something you didn't know about."  
  
Shigure shrugged and tilted his head to the side as he beckoned the dragon with the swift wave of a hand. "Ah, Ha-san... it was needed." A malicious grin captured those lips of his as he started forward and out the door, an eager arm wrapping about one of Hatori's as he drug him along.  
  
"You're not as innocent as you seem - for you to do what you did was clearly and utterly disappointing. I wasn't expecting it from you."  
  
"Nonetheless, Ha-san, I think it will be good for them both. ...But I'm surprised that you found out. You're so sneaky." And this was followed by silence as the two walked. Perhaps Shigure was right, perhaps it would be good for both Akito and Yuki... however, Hatori doubted very much that it had to be done this way.  
  
*...Arrrrg... .; The end of the second chapter. It's long... x.x;; Hahaha... I have a feeling I'll need to write more chapters for this... I kind of did something with Shigure... It took a rather odd twist... -.-; And now I think I want to drag this on a little longer... x.x; Oh well. Please comment...* 


	3. Berries

*Wee... third chapter for Precious. Anyway, this chapter... I uh... don't know... how it's going to turn out, just bare with me on this one.. I always just go with the flow... x.x; I still don't own Furuba.*  
  
Precious - Chapter 3 - Berries  
  
"IIE!" A squeaky voice rang out as a girl fell to her knees and idly began to pick up the various papers she had dropped, dark filaments falling over her shoulders. The girl fidgeted as she fumbled with the various documents, looking up to find the school "Prince" crouching to help her gather the papers. "S-s-sohma-kun? Arigatou!"  
  
"It's okay, Honda-san... What's this?" he asked as he glanced over a few of the papers, "A report?"  
  
"Hai..."  
  
"...On..."  
  
"The the Chinese Zodiac! It's not really a report, I wrote it just for fun..."  
  
"You write reports for fun? And on the Chinese Zodiac?"  
  
Tohru blinked, her face immediately growing red as the boy spoke, "My mother used to tell me the story when I was younger, my favorite is the cat!" Hanging her head as the boy sneered, and she gathered the last of the papers before taking the ones the other held.  
  
"Cats. Stupid, disgusting creatures."  
  
"You don't like cats?"  
  
Yuki blinked, tilting his head to the side as he took her free hand and helped the girl up, violet hues narrowing as both brows were furrowed, "Well, we're going to be late to class, Honda-san..."  
  
The girl blinked, a sweatdrop appearing above her brow as she nodded rather nervously, "Ah, thank you for helping me, Sohma-kun!"  
  
"No problem. I'll walk you to class."  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"I'm home," Yuki stated rather plainly as he entered the house, slipping off his shoes and setting them aside as he did so. Slender digits raked silver filaments behind his ears as he made his way over to the rather comfortable Akito who'd been giving his attention to a bird perched upon his finger before Yuki had come home.  
  
"Ah," the boy started, "I'm feeling well today, will you walk with me?" Dark eyes scanning the boy, he blinked and frowned as the bird took off, leaving him to wish he could be as free as that little bird. Without many cares in world and wings it could spread wide to catch the winds currents and soar above the highest tree...  
  
"Hai." Yuki sighed, crouching to help Akito to his feet before he shuffled back over to his shoes and slipped them on. "Where are we going?" he asked, quirking a brow as the older boy headed out onto the porch. He hurried himself and slipped behind the awaiting Akito before he tilted his head to the side and awaited an answer.  
  
"Some place only I know of, and some place no one knows I go. I want to share it with you."  
  
Yuki raised a brow as he watched Akito slip off into the direction of a nearby forest and he, not wanting to upset the older boy, pulled lightly on his collar before catching up to the comfortably slow walking Akito. He didn't know what to think, say, or do, so he just averted his attention to the green leaves and the way they seemed to shimmer as the light hit their waxy surface…  
  
"How was your day, Yuki?" Akito asked, wanting to break the silence that had developed between them as they walked. He batted a few lingering twigs away as he turned his head to look over his shoulder, dark eyes sparkling in the little sunlight that fought it's way through the vast quantities of leaves.  
  
"…It was fine, like any other. A few surprises, but those are to be expected."  
  
"Surprises? Care to elaborate?"  
  
Yuki hung his head for a second, not really liking the idea of telling the older boy about anything that went on in his day. Giving in what seemed all too soon, he shoved his hands in his pockets and cast his gaze to the brown petal-covered forest floor. "Nothing much, I just witnessed a girl walk into someone and then drop everything she had in her arms… I helped her pick the papers up only to find she'd written a paper on the Chinese Zodiac."  
  
Akito blinked, turning on his heels to face Yuki. "Girl, what girl?" he asked, a brow quirked upwards as he walked backwards, glancing behind himself every few seconds to make sure he wouldn't trip and fall.  
  
"Honda-san."  
  
Akito sneered, stopping dead in his tracks as both brows were furrowed and he issued a glare in the boys direction. "You're not to speak to her, Yuki. You're not to get close to her, I won't stand for it, do you understand!?" he hissed through pursed lips, only to frown as the boy slipped back a few steps and stared at him with large, frightened eyes. Hanging his head, he allowed himself to cool off before he closed the rather large gap between Yuki and himself, and took the boys hands in his own. "I know it was just casual, Yuki… but you -- we can't trust others."  
  
Was Akito trying to be kind? Was he trying to show that part of himself he had hidden from the world? It seemed as if the older boy wasn't as cold-hearted as he seemed. Yuki wondered on this, not knowing what to make of the odd behavior. Sure, Akito was still getting mad over little things… but he seemed to turn himself around and become kind quicker and quicker. He'd expected for the boy to crush his hands when he took them, but he was surprised to find that he didn't and instead of being terribly cold and hateful, those hands of Akito had been caring and soothing.  
  
Yuki gasped as Akito started pulling him along, a quick yank and a whispered 'come along, my Yuki…' were enough to make the mouse trip and almost land on his face, had it not been for him catching himself. Wincing as various twigs smacked him in the face, he waded behind Akito through the dense forest. Over fallen trees and moss-covered floors, around shrubs and patches of wildflowers that had bloomed. He was finally able to open his eyes fully as the two entered a rather small circular clearing. The mouse blinked as violet hues scanned over the area, taking note of the small, crystal-clear stream that ran through the center of the clearing, the high and low grasses that had sprouted in various areas and mixed with the wildflowers.  
  
"No one knows about this place but you and I, Yuki. It's our secret." Akito half-smiled as he let the boys hands go, dark hues scanning the surprised and bewildered face of the mouse. He was content with Yuki's reaction -- more than content, even.  
  
Speechless, Yuki averted his gaze from the surroundings to Akito, faintly smiling before he caught the smell of some sort of fruit… Raising a brow, he slipped passed the older boy and hopped over the little stream, only to fall to his knees in front of a small strawberry patch and raspberry bushes. "…This place is…" he trailed off as he started to gather equal amounts of the ripened fruits then shuffled with handfuls of them over to the stream and rinsed them off. "I love it," whispering as those slender fingers of his gently rubbed at the colorful food through the icy water, he handed some over to the older boy who had seated himself on the other side of the stream just moments before.  
  
Akito blinked, his eyes going wide for a moment as Yuki offered him the fruit, but -- though hesitating, he finally took them and set them in his lap before reaching out and grabbing one of the boys hands. "Yuki," he started as slender digits traced over the pale skin, turning his hand so the palm way face up. Dark eyes scanned over the small cuts that various thorns had produced -- undoubtedly the raspberry thorns and those from the rose bushes that mingled with the berry bushes.  
  
"I'm fine, it's nothing to worry about," he tried to ensure both Akito and himself, though the crimson liquid spilling rather freely from the wounds and the doubtful look in his eyes suggested otherwise. He was determined to believe that the little cuts and scrapes would all go away within the nick-of-time, but he'd found himself surprised once again as Akito grabbed his other hand and shoved them both into the freezing water. Yuki winced.  
  
"You shouldn't be so careless!" he scolded Yuki as he held his hands under the water, both brows furrowed in frustration as the cold water took it's toll on his own hands but he wasn't about to let Yuki's hands go -- he wanted the blood to stop. The boys silence only made him uncomfortable again and so he sighed as he raised the small hands from the water and drew them in close to his face, but he'd failed to realize that Yuki had tried to position himself differently as this was being done and so, alas, the silver-haired boy toppled over and fell right into him.  
  
The impact of Yuki caused Akito to fall back, the berries flying everywhere and the end position being Akito on his back with Yuki's head in his lap. The poor mouse had fallen halfway into the stream, leaving him soaking wet -- the areas of him which had not been hit by water only being soaked by the splashing he caused. Yuki was stunned and speechless - both of these qualities also present in the wide-eyed Akito, and the mouse slowly lifted his head as he began to shiver, violet eyes half-lidded as he placed his frozen little hands on the ground beside him and tried to push himself up. It didn't work very well -- Yuki had gotten too cold to move much and the wet clothes that only continues to soak up more water only further discouraged him.  
  
Akito blinked a few times, blurry vision correcting itself before he came to his senses and grabbed Yuki's forearms. He muttered various things as he attempted to pull the boy up to his chest, "I can't sit up with you on me… and now look at this, you're soaking wet! What will I do with you?!"  
  
"I-it's y-y-y-your fa-fault!" Yuki retorted, his teeth chittering and chattering as he tried to talk, his bottom lip quivering as he tried to shoot the older boy a nasty glare -- which fell short of nothing more than a drowned-rat look.  
  
Akito couldn't help but giggle.  
  
"W-w-wha-what?!" Yuki asked as he shivered, craning his neck in attempt to look menacing, "It i-is yo-yo-your fa-fa-fault!"  
  
Akito suddenly became rather perplexed after realizing that he had started to giggle -- and at Yuki, no less! When was the last time he did something as odd as this? Quickly shaking the various thoughts off his shoulders, he helped Yuki sit up as he pushed himself up… but the thought of the mouse making him giggle had done everything but left him alone. "We'd better get you home, Yuki… I don't want you to freeze. We'll come back later and get more berries if you'd like to."  
  
Yuki nodded as Akito helped him to his feet and wrapped an arm around him to draw him close in attempt to get him warmed up. /He laughed at me,/ he thought as violet hues fixated themselves on the older boy, /…I don't remember ever hearing him do that… but if I made him do it now… what does that mean? And he's being so kind…/ The shivering Yuki slid closer to the other as the walked, folding his arms before him as he unconsciously leaned his head against Akito's shoulder, /…Perhaps it's just a phase. But it's nice./  
  
  
*Okie. I'm done with this n.n Isn't it cool? One of my favorite chapters… and I was tired, so there not as much detail in this chapter as in the last ones… Or is there? I can't tell. Oh well. I hope you all enjoyed it. ^-^;* 


	4. Subtle Changes

*..Yay. Another chapter. Wh00t. Um... Not as much detail in this chapter as in the others -- for a whole bunch of reasons. Just bare with me! Yeah.. I still don't own Furuba... o.o;*  
  
Precious - Chapter 4 - Subtle Changes  
"Ah, ah... this is all working out so well..." Shigure exclaimed as he lazily scratched the back of his neck, dark eyes resting their glance on the dragon sitting across from him. "Wouldn't you agree, Ha-san?"  
  
"You're sick, Shigure."  
  
The dog pouted and hung his head as he leaned forward, "But… Ha-san, why would you say such a thing?"  
  
"Because it's true."  
  
Shigure shrugged at Hatori's comment and rubbed at his chin as he tilted his head to the side, "Regardless, she's gone - no one's keeping Yuki from Akito-san… nothing's keeping us from our goal."  
  
"Us? I'm not involving myself. It's you, Shigure. You and you alone."  
  
"You've already involved yourself," the dog stated as slender digits traced Hatori's jaw line, "Ha-san…"  
  
. . . . . .  
  
"That isn't how it's done! You'll scare all the birds that way!" Akito hissed as Yuki attempted to lure various birds to him while throwing a few seeds about rather carelessly. Resting a hand on his forehead, Akito sighed and bit his lower lip. "…Be gentle, Yuki. It doesn't take that much effort at all." Yuki's pathetic attempts to lure the birds hadn't failed to over joy the seemingly heartless man, and the way that silver-haired boy had never managed to fail in making Akito smile and light up always amazed him.  
  
Yuki blinked and turned to face Akito, cheeks red with embarrassment as he dropped the remaining handful of seeds and began to fumble with the hem of his sleeves as his eyes were downcast. Violet hues stared oddly at the scattered variety of seeds and he slowly started to regret dropping them. "Gomen ne," he whispered as he sank to his knees, the unpleasant tone in the older mans voice hinting that he wasn't at all pleased. Yuki didn't need Akito mad right now. He didn't need this man releasing his anger on him, he didn't want to find himself waking in a pool of his own blood.  
  
"Come here."  
  
The mouse nodded and raised himself before shuffling across the cool earth beneath his feet, small hands grasping the smooth cloth of the kimono as he pulled it upwards. Taking a seat on the porch, he threw his legs over the side and allowed them to dangle, keeping his sight focused on the ground as if not to anger Akito any more.  
  
Akito slid along the wood floor, bare feet patting rather softly against the wood as he neared the back of the boy…. And then he sat, placing a leg on either side of the mouse and letting them fall over the side, as well. Of course, he had to pull his own kimono up a rather large distance in order for this to be done, but when it had been he'd made it a point to get as close as he could get to the boy - preferably so that Yuki's back would be against his chest.  
  
"Let me help you," he said as he took the boys hand and lifted it, carefully folding the fingers into the palm until only the index was left. He then whistled through pursed lips, a sorrowful melody escaping the cursed soul of the man as he did so - the song of crying angles, anguishing gods… Yet a rather heart filled, joyous song lay underneath…  
  
This was the song that Yuki heard, the joyous one, not the one swimming in sorrow and hate. Violet eyes went wide in disbelief as a bird perched itself atop his finger, fluttering it's tiny wings a few times as it got situated and comfortable. It almost immediately began singing a song of it's own before it melted in Akito's and the two songs became one.  
  
Akito had never managed in failing to shock Yuki now, the sheer happiness rippling through the air and all around them had come solely from the older man and how he happened to be acting. Yuki was reminded almost instantly of the time they spent at that little stream… with those ripened berries, the way Akito laughed and made Yuki feel comfortable. The way… he loved that side of him… It'd been days since that day, weeks even and Yuki loved thinking about this new side of his relative that he'd never seen before and he'd slowly come to realize that he was seeing more and more of that side every day.  
  
Akito smiled, shooing the bird away before he wrapped his arms about the younger boy. "Was that so hard?" he asked in response to the boys bewildered look. Sighing inwardly, tightened his grip on the boy and tilted his head to the side. "Ah, if you want.. You can change out of this silly kimono, but I did think you would find it more comfortable…"  
  
"I like it…" /This… is…/ Yuki didn't know what to think by Akito's affection, he didn't know what to make of the older boy's actions. He was used to Akito being overly affectionate sometimes, the way he spoke… and the way he touched the others. A gentle and seducing brush of his hand along skin… Akito did this with everyone but now… now it was different. Akito wasn't trying to get anything out of him, Akito wasn't trying to gain loyalty or trust or… well, if he was then he sure as hell was hiding it rather well. /…This almost feels like he means it. But that's not possible. He isn't capable of having feelings like that! Because even if there's that nice side… that evil side's always a second away…/  
  
-:  
  
"I've waited forever for this, Yuki. And now you're here… with me… and I don't want to care about anything or anyone but you. You're so precious to me."  
  
Yuki sneered, "That's not possible. I wont believe it! What about everything you did to me in the past?!" Yuki slid off the porch, small feet hitting the ground before he turned on his heel to face the startled Akito. "What about… what about…" both brows furrowed as he tried to remember what he couldn't… a piece missing… /Why can't I… remember what it is?/ Trembling hands were brought up to his face as violet hues watered, both brows furrowing as he glared at Akito. "What did you… do…? Why can't I remember?! Why can't I remember what I know I should?!"  
  
Akito gasped, the expression on his face fading from startled to one of anger and betrayal. "Why are you accusing me of doing something?! I did nothing! Maybe you don't remember it because it never happened in the first place!"  
  
"You LIE! He would never erase someone's memory without you telling him to! I know it! I can't remember it… There's nothing there… like before… the first time. You did it again!" Yuki retorted as he stood there, eyes wide as his gaze fell to the ground. His arms fell to his sides then, and he slowly shook his head. "I hate you… I hate you…"  
  
/How does he know this…? How was he able to figure that out?/ Akito sneered, dark eyes growing rather dim as they emitted waves of hate and distrust, as if all the anger he happened to be feeling was directed at Yuki and Yuki alone. Slipping of the porch, he slowly made his way over to the boy, an icy hand grasping silver filaments as he stopped. "Don't you ever think you can speak to me like that. Must I remind you of what it's like to step out of line?" he hissed as he yanked the boys head up, empty eyes meeting wide and shocked violet ones. Akito shivered at the sheer joy of seeing all that confusion and fear. "You're being far too courageous, Yuki. Do you know what happens to everyone else when they treat me the way you just did? Don't you know? Can't you remember?!"  
  
Violet eyes narrowed as he made an attempt to get away from Akito, and this action was returned with a rather tear jerking slap from Akito's free hand. "I don't… I don't care… you're ruining my life… I can't take this… You're not my god, you're not going to rule over me as if you're some hateful king who cares for nothing but his own pleasure! You.. You sicken me! You LIED to me!"  
  
Akito grimaced and tossed the boy aside as he released his grip on the mouse, gray eyes shimmering as he watched the boy hit the ground and roll over onto his stomach. "Don't you ever speak to me like that," he stated rather casually as he took the few steps needed in order to reach the boy and, bending over, he once again grabbed the boy by his hair and pulled him up. "EVER again."  
  
Tear filled violet eyes shut as he winced, both hands grasping the sides of his head as pain rippled through his skin, enveloping his whole body in a cloak of mind-bending torture as Akito punished him. Tears began to flow rather freely from those closed eyes of his as he tried to close the gap between Akito and himself, hands falling from his head to grasp on to the silky fabric of the older boys kimono. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to, please forgive me…" he whispered as slender digits curled tightly around the fabric and he rested his head against Akito's chest as he repeated his apology.  
  
Releasing his grip, Akito simply sighed in response to the boys apology and wrapped his arms around the frail figure before him, "You didn't need to remember someone like her, anyway. You would have been hurt if you had."  
  
/So it's true… and my heart's left wondering if what he says is a lie… That side of him I saw not too long ago, that smiling and laughing side of him… I want to see that more often… as long as that side of him doesn't betray me the way this side does… I love his kind and gentle hands, not those that are tinted with hatred and malice…/ Yuki sighed and buried his face into Akito's chest as he thought, "But you.. You said you wouldn't hurt me next time…"  
  
:-  
  
"Yuki?" Akito asked as he gave the boy a gentle shake as a hand raised rest itself on the mouse's forehead. Dark eyes shut as he hung his head, his hand falling from the rather heated skin to the boys collarbone. The mouse had a fever, and a rather violent one, at that… though from what, he didn't know.  
  
Violet eyes fell half lidded as he leaned back into Akito, small hands reaching up to grasp the single hand rested on his collarbone as he tilted his head to the side, glossy tiers parting as he whispered a few little words, "…I'm so cold…" The feverish boy then closed his eyes as Akito proceeded to lay him down. /…I don't know why…/ Yuki thought as he turned onto his side, slender digits wrapping around the fabric of Akito's kimono as he attempted to pull him down, /…I could have gotten sick.. Or even… how… but even so, even so… the way he holds me sometimes…/  
  
Akito blinked as he'd been pulled down, and almost immediately felt Yuki 'cling' after he'd situated himself on the floor. Gray eyes fell shut as he wrapped his arms around the boy, slender digits massaging small circles into the pale flesh that lay beneath the silky material that clothed the mouse as he pulled Yuki closer, reveling in the soft coos he received from the tired and feverish boy.  
  
/…It's this side of him… that I'm falling for…/  
  
*That is IT. No more of this chapter. I was being driven insane. X.x;;; I hope you liked it… Ahahaha. O.o; Whatever.* 


	5. Confessions

*Ah.. Another chapter… What is this? 5? Well, maybe I'll end it soon.. I know how I want to end it… it's just a matter of me getting far enough in the story to have it happen. So you all have to bare with me, this may be the chapter before the last chapter.. Therefore making it only one chapter left after this.. But it all depends on how the ending of this chapter turns out, you know? I write on a whim, so it's not like I sit down and plan these things out before I type them up. XD*   
  
Precious - Chapter 5 - Confessions  
  
"Will he be alright?"  
  
"He'll be fine, it was just a minor fever.. And a minor attack.. Nothing to worry about. He'll be up and at it before we know it."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I'm positive."  
  
"Good, then you should go."  
  
"Hai…"  
  
"…And do what you're needed to do."  
  
. . . . . . .  
  
Yuki woke, blinking numerous times to rid himself of his blurred vision, only for the figures forming to leave him wondering if he'd been sicker than he thought… "…B-baka… neko…" were the first words that exited those glossy lips of his, the red-haired cat having been hovering in his face.  
  
"AH! STUPID RAT! I come here with everyone to visit and this is what I get?!" Kyo snapped, both brows furrowing as he stood up and shook a fist angrily in Yuki's direction, "I'm going to kick your ass when you get better!"  
  
"Everyone?" Yuki asked, just now taking the time to glance about. Violet orbs settled back on Kyo before falling to the mouse key chain that had been hooked onto one of the many belt loops that belonged to the cats pants. "You… still have it?" he asked as he stared at the dangling object as if it were the best thing in the world.  
  
"H-h-hai…" Kyo stammered, unintentionally starting to fumble with the hem of his shirt as a light blush crept onto those cheeks of his. "It… doesn't leave my side… n-not even for a second…" It took a few seconds for Kyo to realize what it was that he'd said… which then resulted in the blush growing in intensity and darkness. "I-I-I mean…" he paused, slender digits tugging at the fabric of the black shirt he wore in attempt to help calm himself down, "I always want to be reminded of the hate I have for you! And that one day I'll beat you and finally be accepted into the family!!"  
  
Yuki blinked a few times in confusement before glancing at the snickering Shigure who'd all but doubled over into a laughing heap on the floor. Raising a hand, slender digits brushed silver strands from that pale face of his before he pushed himself up into a seated position -- only after Kyo had gotten out of his face, that was.  
  
"Yuki… how are you feeling?" Muffled laughs had grown silent as that voice fluttered through the air, all life seeming to fall dead as the young Akito stepped into the room, arms that were once positioned at his sides rising to cross over his chest. "Hatori said it was a minor attack… I do hope they don't get worse."  
  
Shigure and Kyo tilted their heads and took a few steps backwards, Kyo taking a place behind Shigure in order to keep a safe distance away from Akito… who never seemed to like his presence.  
  
'I wonder…' Kyo thought as he threw a glance in Yukis direction, '…If his outlook on Akito has changed now that he's been here for so long…'  
  
Hatori had entered the room after Akito had and immediately took his place at Shigure's side. "Look," he whispered into Shigures ear as the three of them watched Akito take a seat next to the more than pleased Yuki, "…There's something in his eyes that we've never seen before."  
  
Shigures eyes went wide as those words were spoken, perfect lips parting in surprise as he watched the two exchange loving glances and gestures. 'A-Akito… is… he is…' He couldn't believe it… Had Yuki been what he needed the entire time? Had the boy managed to break through the shell of hatred and malice that had formed around the clan leader…? "L-love…" he stuttered aloud, a hand rising to cover his mouth after he spoke.  
  
Kyo sighed, knowing all too well what Hatori had been whispering to Shigure about. "Ah, ah… just let them be. Perhaps we should be heading back, anyway."  
  
"Why not stay for a while, Kyo?" Yuki asked, violet orbs rising to meet the gaze of Kyo. Glossy tiers were then tugged upwards into a smile as the older man sitting next to him started to play with his hair. "Just a little longer. We could have lunch together…"  
  
"Yes, stay longer." Akito insisted, slender digits raking through the silvery hair they encountered, "It's been a while since he's seen all of you…"  
  
"S-stay… for lunch…?" Kyo didn't know what to think of a situation like this… But it was obvious that Yuki was happy with Akito and Akito with Yuki… what could possibly be so hard about accepting that? And why was Akito insisting that he stay, as well? Didn't he hate him? Both brows furrowed as he pondered these thoughts, slipping down into a seated position, both hands falling to rest in his lap as he hung his head.  
  
"Ah, Akito-saaaaan!" Shigure chimed as he fell to his knees, "Of course I'll stay! And Ha-san, too! You are so generous! Offering us lunch with the boy we haven't seen in ages!!!"  
  
"I don't have a choice, I have to stay for lunch you idiot."  
  
"Ha-saaaaan…"  
  
Akito sighed, growing rather frustrated as he listened to the now high-pitched Shigure ramble on about how happy he was to be able to spend the day here and how he wished he could do it more often. "Don't you have a 'mute' button?" Akito asked rather dryly as he threw an agitated glance in the dogs direction. "Be quiet."  
  
"It's okay, don't let it frustrate you…" Yuki reinforced his statement by placing a hand on the others cheek, an action which almost immediately softened Akito's expression and attitude. "He's just happy that he gets time to spend with you… Is that so bad…? That he's happy…? Because he loves you. He is happy when he's near you… Is that so bad?" Pleased with the sudden change in Akitos outlook, he then leaned into the older man. "See? He is happy… because of you…"  
  
Shigure tilted his head to the side in confusement. Kyo, on the other hand, found himself feeling rather bad for Yuki. To live with someone like Akito… to deal with the sickness that constantly hovered above the head of the clan leader, to have to deal with his obsession with him and the fact that he demanded love and attention every hour of every day… Must be horrible. The fact that Yuki belittled himself was the worst of all -- proof that he would do anything to keep Akito from going into one of his historical rages.  
  
He wondered what it was like to be in Yukis position; to have to deal with everything and nothing all at once. What did they talk about? How did they pass the time…? Yuki had to have been lonely… there wasn't any possible way Akito could spend much time with him… because he was almost constantly sick.  
  
The awkward silence in the room was broken as Akito sighed and pushed himself to his feet. "Hatori, Shigure… prepare lunch, will you? I want to take a bath," he stated as he turned to leave the room, both Hatori and Shigure following closely behind and leaving Kyo and Yuki alone in the near empty room.  
  
Yuki sighed and hung his head, lowering himself once again and pulling the blankets above his head as he mumbled something beneath his breath. Kyo grew worried and almost immediately crawled over to his cousins side.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked, slender digits wrapping around the material of the blanket before tugging it downward. "And don't tell me it's nothing…"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Don't lie to me, Yuki. What's your problem? Why are yo--"  
  
"I'm lonely."  
  
"Eh…?" Kyo perked up, having had one of his suspicious answered so easily. "How… so?"  
  
"It's not that I never see him… He's there every morning when I wake up… he's almost constantly around me throughout the day unless he's sick… and he's always there when I lay back down to sleep…" Yuki paused, violet eyes shimmering with tears as he fought with Kyo to pull the covers back over his head… though he didn't get far… and the worried look on Kyos face only worsened his tears. "…He's always around me… but he never tells me what he's thinking… He's always so… distant in that sense… He… he doesn't say what he wants to say, he doesn't do what he wants to do… and most of the time I feel I'm only here because of his obsession with me. Something that binds us together by fate… after all, I'm the child of the rat. I'm… special… He's always had his eyes on me…"  
  
"Yuki…"  
  
"How am I supposed to know if he really loves me? How can I keep him happy if I'm not happy…? I should be use to it by now… he has to be pleased… I'm so use to seeing the side of him that hates seeing happiness… but lately… I've come to know a side of him that wants to love and be loved…-Real- love, not the forced kind… not the blind kind.. I love that side of him… I just… I want him to love me, Kyo. The way that I love him… The way that I love that kind, loving side of him…"  
  
Kyo was speechless, he honestly didn't know what to say… and so he did the only thing he knew how to do in situations like this. "It will be okay, Yuki. I'm sure everything will turn out just fine in the end." He paused, "..And then I'll kick your ass." Offering a weak smile, he tucked the blanket around Yuki before brushing the silver hair from the boys face. "Don't you forget that." Watching as Yuki fell asleep, he leaned forward to rest an elbow on his knee, his chin falling to rest in the palm of his hand.  
  
Akito stood in the doorway, towel in… but too shocked to move any farther.  
  
*Waaaaah. How did you like it? ^_^ I like this chapter, we get more into Yukis thoughts on Akito now… Ah, well… ^_^* 


	6. Tears

*Ugh. About time I wrote another chapter to this. So sorry for delaying this for so long but I've been so brain dead it isn't even funny! By the way, I still don't own Fruits Basket… ;-;…*  
  
Precious - Chapter 6 - Tears  
  
The odd silence was broken by the sudden sound of something falling to the floor and a loud, high-pitched scream that echoed throughout the house. Both Akito and Kyo turned to face the noise, Yuki rising from his nap, violet eyes wide in shock as he then jumped at the various other screams that followed his awakening.  
  
"AYA!!!!"  
  
"GURE-SAN!!!!"  
  
"WOOOOOOOW!!!! WHY ARE YOU HERE?! CHAAAAA!"  
  
Akito rolled his eyes… he honestly didn't get why those two carried on so much and made such a racket. Regardless, Hatori would take care of the problem… he was sure of it. He then turned back to Kyo and Yuki only to find a bewildered expression on the mouse's face. Frowning, he hung his head and slipped over to the boy. "Yuki…" he started as he kneeled and took one of the boys warm hands in his own cold ones, "I'm sorry…"  
  
"I'm… Sorry…" Yuki repeated in a hushed manner before leaning forward to rest his forehead on Akito's chest. "I don't want to hear those words."  
  
Akito was baffled. How could Yuki not want to hear that? Then what did he want to hear? He barely apologized for anything in his entire life! Yuki should had taken this situation as a blessing but instead he loathed it! How dare he! Sneering, he turned his head to the side. "You don't want to hear that? Fine. I wasn't put on this earth to please you, anyway! I don't need to live up to anyone's expectations, even yours."  
  
. . .  
  
"God dammit, Shigure! Shut the hell up!" At some point in time Kyo had managed to escape the dreaded Akito and Yuki moment, only to find himself smushed between both Shigure and Ayame who were giggling like love-struck school-girls. "Get the hell away from me! And STOP TOUCHING ME THERE!"  
  
Both of the giggling men took an abrupt stop from trying to get to each other and peered down at the poor blue-faced Kyo. Had they noticed the boy had gotten between them, they would have stopped but they supposed they were too caught up to have noticed such a small detail.  
  
"Ohohoho!" Shigure winked before kneeling somewhat to press his cheek right up against one of Kyo's. "We didn't notice you! So sorry!"  
  
"Gure-saaaaaaan," Ayame whined before greedily pushing Kyo away so he could embrace the wonderful Shigure, "I brought food!!"  
  
Kyo grumbled as he was pushed aside and calmly made his way back to Yuki and Akito, though he was mocking the two he left just seconds before. "Oh, Gure-san!" he mocked, adding a higher pitch to his voice to add effect, "I love you so much! Let's get locked in a closet and blahblah! No one cares… Akito… san… Yuki, Ayame brought…" He blinked as he turned his head to look at the two who were now on opposite sides of the room. He knew some way or another someone would screw up. "…Food… Are you two okay?"  
  
"Shut up!" they both shouted in unison only to scoff at each other for daring to even think of speaking at a time like this.  
  
"Stop mocking me!"  
  
"YOU stop mocking ME!"  
  
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"  
  
Kyo nearly fell over -- why were Akito and Yuki acting like children?! He understood that they loved each other -- it was as obvious as the full moon in the clear night sky! But what had gone so wrong within the passing of a few minutes that it would alter those two so much? He was baffled.  
  
"Akito-saaaaaaan…" Shigure called as he poked his head into the room, "Is Yuki being meant o you…?" Ayame was right behind him, his head peeking over the dogs shoulder. "We have food!" the both of them chirped, "be happy!" The two of them then offered cheery smiles and waved before running off to prepare the food Ayame had so graciously presented to Shigure when the two saw each other.  
  
Both Akito and Yuki crossed their arms and snorted, refusing to get up from their spots and take their places at the table. Kyo, Shigure, and Ayame were left setting everything up after preparing the delicious meal… or, rather, meals. Ayame had thought of everything. Kyo was sure he counted at least ten different dishes, it was utterly amazing. He wasn't sure how much he'd be able to eat. At some point in time Hatori had returned to his own room. Kyo was sent to fetch him and as time passed… everyone found themselves seated around the table though Yuki and Akito practically had to be picked up and carried there -- the two of them hadn't been planning on leaving their spots in that room.  
  
"I'm not eating that!" Kyo stated rather loudly as he pointed to an enormous amount of leek which Ayame had so wonderfully decided to throw onto his plate. The smell made him want to loose all contents of his stomach right then and there… and the sight of them alone was absolutely hideous. Where was his gas mask?!  
  
"Eat it."  
  
"I will NOT. YOU eat it."  
  
"DAMMIT, KYO. EAT IT."  
  
"MAKE ME! Damn rat."  
  
"Watch your mouth, idiot!"  
  
"WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUT UP!" Shigure roared, stunning the rest at the table with his seriousness. "Ever since Yuki and Akito-san had screwed something up their attitudes have killed everything. This was supposed to be a happy event. Will you two just apologize and get it over with already? I want to eat in peace."  
  
"Gure-san is right," Ayame confessed, "How often do we see each other like this?"  
  
It was a pity that they barely saw each other in such a large group but when they did see each other things always went wrong because someone always screwed up somewhere along the way. It wasn't a desirable thing and the majority of them secretly wished things were different. But what were they going to do about it if no one spoke up…? Were they even a family any more or just people who occasionally met to exchange greetings and gossip before bursting out into fits of fighting and screams filled the air?  
  
Akito sighed and prodded at his charred fish with his pair of chopsticks before glancing up and across the table at Yuki. He then sneered, both brows furrowing in discontent before he turned his head away. "I don't have to apologize to anyone."  
  
"You're just being childish!" Yuki accused from his side of the table, "I can't take it anymore! You're so stubborn! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!"  
  
"I LOVE SOMEONE LIKE YOU! THAT'S MY DAMN PROBLEM!" Akito retorted with a hiss. He wasn't going to deal with this right now. It was enough that he felt he was getting sick again and that Ayame and Shigure were within 2000 feet of each other. Now he had to deal with this stubborn boy who thought he ruled the universe!  
  
The room fell silent. The wide-eyed Yuki merely stared at the equally shocked Akito who couldn't believe he'd just said something like that aloud. Ayame and Shigure slid even closer to each other before leaning in towards the two who had just been screaming.  
  
"Wh-what… did you s-say…?" Yuki stammered through partially parted lips, violet hues shaking with tears as his chopsticks were dropped, the two wooden sticks hitting the table before them and then rolling off to the side.  
  
Akito took a deep breath and leaned back a little way, both of his arms falling to his sides and slender fingers raking their nails across the smooth wood surface of the floor. "I-I… said that…" He paused to take another deep breath, his gaze falling to his quickly cooling food before darting back up to Yuki. "I love… you…"  
  
Shigure, Hatori, Ayame, and Kyo all stared in disbelief. Not one of them could believe that Akito would openly admit to such a thing, nor did they think he was even capable of loving. Truly loving. They found themselves speechless.  
  
"Akito…" Within a second after hearing the words he'd wanted to hear for so long, Yuki had jumped to his feet and ran clear around the table only to fall to his knees beside the clan head and pull him into an ever-so-warm embrace. "I love you. Oh, God, I love you so much!" Yuki exclaimed between kisses directed at various places on the stunned and wide-eyed Akito's face.  
  
The older boy could do nothing for a few seconds but wrap his arms around the silver-haired youth but soon he found that his own lips collided ever-so-gently with the rose-petal like tiers of Yuki. This sweet exchange of affection lasted only a few seconds before he hesitantly pulled away to look into the sparkling violet hues of the mouse. The violet hues that seemed to be shedding tears. Akito took on a look of confusement. Had he done something wrong? "Yuki…what…? What's wrong…?"  
  
"N-nothing…" Yuki started before tightening his grip around the other's waist, "…These… are tears of joy…" Something, he was sure, that Akito had never seen before.  
  
*End of this chapter. Dunno when the fourth one will come out.. Probably sometime within the next week or so, but Tohru will be in it. That's for sure. Well, I hope you enjoyed this! I worked hard on it. Kind of… n.n And yeah, yeah, I know.. Not too much going on in the way of writing, but I just lost my descriptive touch for this chapter. P* 


	7. Old Friends

Alright for the few of you complaining that this fic just went way OOC -- I've seen fics that have been way more OOC than this fic ever could be. Also, this is MY fic, therefore I can do what I want with the characters. If you don't like it just simply stop reading it because there are people who read this fic and love it. Kthnx. =]  
  
Precious   
  
Chapter 7 - Old Friends  
  
The next morning Yuki could be seen leaving Honke with a rather calm, dreamy expression on that beautiful visage of his, both hands stuffed snuggly into the pockets of his uniform pants as the handle of his school bag hung around his left wrist.  
  
Akito stood by the doorway as he watched the younger boy leave and Hatori, just behind him, had placed a hand upon his shoulder. The dragon had noticed a shift in the Gods actions -- Akito was much calmer and less prone to outbursts of anger. But, then again… only a day had passed since Akito had had the pleasure of having the wonderful Yuki Sohma admit to loving him. Hatori would have to see if the immediate reaction of this confession would keep its hold on the clan head.  
  
Maybe this was what Akito needed; to love and be loved. Perhaps this was a ray of hope shining down from heaven upon the family -- a sign things were going to change. Was it possible this entire time that the actions of Akito were brought about by hatred and jealousy for not being able to have what it was that he wanted? Because he thought he was hated by everyone and he was due to drop dead at any given moment was it possible that he also felt there was not need to take great measures to believe in things he knew were probably false?  
  
"Come, Akito-san, it is time for your bath."  
  
"Hatori…"  
  
"Hmmm…?"  
  
"Isn't there a meteor shower tonight?"  
  
…………………..  
  
"Sohma-kun! Sohma-kun!" the young Tohru called as she neared the boy from behind. Yuki turned to look at her, pausing in his steps as he waited for her to meet his side. "Good morning, Sohma-kun."  
  
"Ah, Honda-san, you're rather cheerful today," Yuki noted.  
  
"Uo-chan is allowing me to live with her. Grandfather says I should be where I want to be and Uo-chan has always been there for me…"  
  
"Ah, I see. Congratulations on your new home, Honda-san. We had better hurry up before we're late to school." Tohru nodded and soon the two of them had started off for school, chatting amongst themselves about random, seemingly meaningless things… though the both of them had felt they'd shared more than just simple conversations in the past… But they simply either shrugged them off or ignored them.  
  
…………………..  
  
"Well, you stupid cat, you seen to have… Toh…ru…?" Kyo watched as Yuki, followed by the calm Tohru, entered Shigure's house. Yuki came here for obvious reasons -- just to visit. But why bring her along…? It was true that both Tohru and Yuki had had their memories of each other (and Tohru of the rest of the Sohma family) erased, but that didn't mean Kyo could just act like nothing had happened. It didn't mean he was able to push his feelings for the girl off to the sidelines and start anew.  
  
"Honda-san needs help with her homework, so I brought her here with me so we could study. Akito doesn't like guests."  
  
"Ah, Yuki… and a gorgeous schoolgirl!" Shigure commented upon entering the room, "might she mind introducing herself?"  
  
"Ah! 'm so sorry, how rude of me," Tohru muttered as she waved a hand in the air. "Honda, Tohru. It's quite a pleasure to meet you… Mr. Sohma-kun's cousin."  
  
Yuki raised a brow, Kyo merely coughed into his fist and left the room, and Shigure slipped on over to Tohru and poked the tip of her nose. "Shigure," he said, "my name is Shigure."  
  
"Mr. Shigure."  
  
"Just Shigure."  
  
"H-hai…"  
  
Great, this was the kind of thing Shigure had needed. After convincing Akito that having Tohru and Yuki's memories of each other erased was the only answer to the problem, Shigure had known that the two teens would somehow manage to meet up with each other and rekindle the friendship they once had while Tohru once again became familiar with the family. Granted, the rest of the Sohma's had to pretend they had never met her (and would have to continue doing so after meeting her once more), but it was all part of this pan of his.  
  
Non of the other women who had involved themselves in the family were capable of breaking the Sohma curse. However, Tohru was different. Her own mother had played a role in the family before and Kyo had been the one to rid the woman of her life. Tohru had what it was that was needed to break the curse and he was well on his way of having that happen until Tohru and Yuki found themselves entangled in a relationship. It was Shigure's duty to fix that problem. He couldn't have anything or anyone interfere with his plan.  
  
But now that Yuki had (surprisingly) gotten involved with Akito, not only did that make things much easier for him, but it also ensured that the possibility of Yuki getting in yet another relationship with Tohru was slim to none.  
  
But he knew Kyo had his eyes set on her…  
  
Silly Kyo, when will he learn?  
  
…………………..  
  
"I'm home," Yuki called as he entered the main house and dropped his school bag. "Akito, Hatori…" He nearly walked right into Akito as he turned a nearby corner. Violet eyes shot wide open as the older man placed both hands on his shoulders and urged him to take a seat in his room. Yuki gave a slight nod to his head and slipped off in the direction of Akito's room before taking a seat in the corner. He then placed both hands in his lap and leaned his back against the wall behind him as he awaited the inevitable arrival of the clan head.  
  
"Ah, Yuki." Akito offered a small smile as he entered the room and took a seat beside the boy, positioning himself so as to rest his head on Yuki's shoulder and grasp his hands, slender digits interlacing as he did so. "There's a meteor shower tonight. You wouldn't mind staying up late with Hatori and I to watch, will you?" He asked and was soon pleased with the boys positive answer.  
  
Later that night the three of them could be seen sprawled out on large blankets Hatori had set up in the yard earlier that day. Yuki had decided to lay beside Akito and rest his head upon the older man's shoulder as Hatori laid beside him, all eyes fixated on the darkened sky as meteors shot through the atmosphere. They would all fall asleep there that night, Yuki and Akito snug in each other arms as the dragon unconsciously snuggled up to the young mouse.  
  
_______________________________  
  
Yeah okay. Sucky chapter, I know, but at least it's something, ne? I'm braindead. BRAINDEAD, I TELL YE!! YARG!! O_o; 


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